Horse riding accidents: Assessing rider fault

Horses are intelligent, often gentle, animals and can be great fun to ride. However, you also need to always be aware of the fact they are living, breathing creatures that also have feelings and can get scared and bolt.

This means you need to be careful and to be aware of what you do whilst riding; your actions no matter how minor will reflect onto the horse and could affect the way the horse reacts.

How can assessing a rider’s faults prevent horse riding accidents?

Assessing rider’s faults is not merely to point out everything the rider is doing wrong, but to rectify small details which could make a big difference to the way the horse behaves in order to help prevent horse riding accidents.

One of the main aspects you need to consider is that many people say horses can feel how you are feeling so when you are riding you need to be confident. If you are nervous and scared, then the horse may pick up on this and make a fall injury more likely to happen.

Another major factor whilst riding, that you need to continually assess to ensure you prevent a slip, trip or fall, is your body position. Make sure your heels are not always digging into the horse’s side as this may agitate and make him or her bolt leading to a fall claim.

Whether walking, trotting, cantering or galloping you need to make sure your body is telling the horse the correct signals as mixed ones could cause horse riding accidents quite easily, especially if you suddenly pull the reins hard causing the horse to come to a sudden halt.

How about if I can’t spot any faults?

If you are not sure whether you are interacting with the horse correctly, then have a few lessons with a riding instructor who can help assess any faults and help you rectify them. This will be well worth the money as it could help you prevent any fall claims and help your horse feel more at ease.

But, if you do have an accident that isn’t your fault then you may be eligible to make a fall claim. Speak to Accident Advice Helpline to find out how much compensation you may be entitled to.

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